Heartbreaker
by RustedThunder
Summary: Jeremiah Hollowday, or 'Hunter-killer' has spent years fighting for the Militia, alongside his Titan 'Heartbreaker'. Years of fighting has broken his body. What was originally supposed to provide a tactical edge over opponents, has only left him a dependency. They never expected him to survive as long as he has. Whether that be the IMC, or the Militia doctors. Yet he still fights.
1. Chapter 1: Clear Mind, Clear Thoughts

Heartbreaker

(A TITANFALL FANFICTION)

[Because Why Not]

The Author has rated the following literature:

E / G / PG / **M** / MA-15+ / R-18+ / X-18+ / RC

 **M** By the classifications laid out by the Australian classifications and ratings board for Film, Television, and Video Games.

The Following Contains:

Moderate Impact Course Language

War Themes

* * *

 **Transcript of Audio Journal Entry of Militia Pilot Jeremiah Hollowday, A.K.A. 'Hunter-Killer'**

 _…_ _Fucking…(audible sigh)…I'm getting jittery again…Alright, this is Jeremiah Hollowday, code name Hunter-Killer. Whether that's for hunting down and killing IMC or because I kill those the IMC send to hunt me, I don't remember. Pilot of Atlas Class Titan, serial designation HB-1988. My name for 'im? Heartbreaker. Time and Date…(sounds of movement)…My watch is broken….Fuck it, I'm probably just going to say this again in three hours but, eh, may as well right? Okay…The shaking has come back again. The Doctors, nurses, medics. The lot of them tell me it's a miracle I'm still alive. Let alone standing. And I decide it's in my best interest to not tell them about the rematch burn cards. There's a reason they only let Simulacrum's use stim now. Me being the exception. I've served Three years, Seven months with the Militia, or was it Six years? Fuck it, either time it's the same. One year a foot soldier, the rest a Pilot. In my first four months of being a Pilot, I went through Five Titans. I'll admit that it's because I thought the nuclear eject sequence was the core ability, when I was actually detonating the core. Then I linked with Heartbreaker and someone finally told me where the button to use the core ability was. It's the opposite side of the Pilot's seat. Combat efficiency increased tenfold. I was linked with Heartbreaker for Two months, I was injured in the last battle I participated in, I don't remember the name. So I was just lying in a bed for a month before I convinced the higher ups to link me with another Titan. That was hard. I got HB, so we practised for two months. My first combat deployment with Heartbreaker once I was healed was Demeter…That's where I earned the name Hunter-Killer…(audible sigh)…They say I'm not right in the head, that I've got some kind of mania…I'm inclined to agree half the time…The other half I'm racked with some kind of shakes or something…I'm told I have muscle spasms and a dependency…I just take another shot and go on fighting…They might have a point 'cause that was bad phrasing. I'm not even sure of the time half the…time…I know damn sure I'm not kept around for my ability to speak…(sounds of movement)…(sounds of pain)…I…Fucking hell…I got nothing against them…They're Pilots too…But those Simulacrum bastards got it fucking easy…(sounds of pain)…Arh, HB! Open the hatch…(End Entry)_

The front hatch of the admittedly outdated Titan opened, sending the Pilot inside sprawling to the ground in front of the kneeling Titan. The Pilot grunted and groaned with pain as their limbs straightened, then the muscles contracted, leaving the Pilot to face the sky on their back as their arms, legs, back muscles all contracted, leaving them twitching and spasming.

"Pilot, are you okay…?" The Titan spoke with a low, intimidating voice of male qualities.

The Pilot's spasms eased off, visible signs of the fit becoming less obvious. The Pilot kept their gaze behind their helmet locked to the trees and skies above.

"HB, I know you mean well. But there is a reason I installed more than one OS chip in you, five of them, or something."

"Correction, Pilot. All but one of your installed OS chips immediately failed. The one that did not, I am currently using."

"Then default; Betty."

There was a moments pause.

"Is this better Pilot?" The Titan's automated voice came out with a softer, feminine tone.

"Yeah, Heartbreaker. The Sid OS 'Intimidate, annihilate, exterminate' stuff is fine. But it does fuck all to denote compassion."

The pilot kept their gaze to the sky. Watching the trees sway, clouds pass, and the smoke of the destroyed Titans from an IMC hunter squadron billow up, thinning out as the time passed.

A hollow, pained laugh filled the clearing.

"Attention Pilot, possible hostile detected." The Atlas raised from its position, giant XO-16 chaingun being brought to bear in its arms, facing the direction of the laughter.

"This…this is the great Hunter-killer…?" The voice was feminine.

The pilot rolled over in an attempt to find the speaker. He spotted her, she lay in a crater with the chassis of an Ion class Titan in pieces scattered around her. There were piles of bodies near her. Statistics for the IMC, just a reason to add another thousand credits to his bounty. The Pilot rolled back over to stare at the sky. The pained voice continued.

"Th…they made you out as a demon. Nothing definite," The pilot shakily moved to stand, motioning for the Titan to lower their gun, though not holster it. "W-we only got whispers of the dreaded Hunter-killer and what you did on Demeter…"

"No survivors…I hunted them, some slipped through." The Pilot spoke.

"The fact there were more reports, made the commanders think you were a Simu…simula…"

"No, so long as I live I will never become a Simulcra." The pilot turned to gaze at the dying IMC Pilot.

"…Turns out now…It's funny to me…You, you're just…" The Pilot started walking to their adversary. "…You're a wreck, can hardly stand, an addict, use an outdated Titan. A disappointment to the legend formed from hushed whispers…"

"If I'm a disappointment, addict, can't stand, a wreck…Then what does that make you?" The Pilot stood over the woman now. Looking down behind a helmet to someone not 10 minutes prior was trying to kill him. "Is this the dead making peace with their own thoughts or an idiot overdramatising a flesh wound…?" He asked the woman.

"You shot me, you judge." The woman bit back. For someone literally at the mercy of the person they were trying to kill they still had a lot of fight. Makes sense why they were chosen in the first place.

"I think your wound might be fatal." The Pilot looked down at the spot the woman was holding on her stomach, red seeping around it.

"You're a medic now Hunter-killer…? Going to show mercy t-"

"My name, is Jeremiah…Hollowday." The Pilot, Jeremiah, made to supress the tremors that were starting on his hands.

"He has a name…what now? I promise you my fealt-"

There was the loud report of a gunshot that filled the fractured clearing.

There was another blossoming red mark on the IMC Pilot, under her breast, where someone's lung would be. They could only look down at the wound, futilely covering it with their hands.

"Looks like your wound is fatal." The enemy Pilot looked back up at Jeremiah. "You know my name. I wouldn't have let you live anyway, but I figured you'd prefer to know the name of the person who you thought only four Pilots and Titans could take down. I may not remember much of it…But was Demeter not enough of an example to how this would go?" Jeremiah took off his pilot's helmet, revealing the brown tanned skin of his face, and his tired, almost translucent blue eyes.

"Know my name and face…Heaven or Hell, wherever you end up…May you find peace."

The IMC Pilot looked to her killer's eyes. "Th-thank you, my…my name is Ca-"

There was the sound of another discharge. Leaving a lone survivor standing in a clearing, surrounded by destruction.

Jeremiah lowered the Hammond pistol from where he held it, before holstering the pistol. A final red mark appearing around the new hole in the IMC helmet.

"Speak not the name of the dead, so one does not disturb the spirits peace." The Pilot spoke to the corpse. "It's better for you to remain nameless, remain faceless, so I don't feel the guilt of killing a person, I merely killed someone who terrorised the Frontier. The IMC won't remember you as a person, merely a statistic." The Militia Pilot turned, stumbling in his return to his Titan.

"Was that necessary Pilot?" HB asked his Pilot.

"The dead are better therapists than most people."

"How so Pilot?"

"The dead don't react to the horrors man is capable of."

"Noted, Pilot."

The cockpit of the Titan popped open, allowing Jeremiah access inside. He sat in the Pilot's seat, though did not take control. Instead preferring for Heartbreaker to travel to their destination. There are advantages to having an over five year old Titan: Regenerating shielding, Warpfall transmitter with dome shield generator, no Titan battery for the newer class of Pilot to try and steal, provides a chuckle when the clamber up there and die from the electric smoke because they weren't trained to pop the hatch and fire straight into the Titans servos and shit. Makes it easier having a Titan live so long. Much easier to convince someone like Sarah Briggs that a Vanguard Titan A.I. would be beneficial for the Titan. Of course, the Titan OS' had to be kept. SID comes in handy, and Betty is just delightful. And of course, Not restricted to the guns and upgrades the post-Demeter Titans are stuck with. Of course, adding in Titan battery slots were a must along the side, If anything just to pro-long the doomed state if it were to come to that.

A tired, aching body sat in the Pilot's seat of an Atlas class Titan, travelling towards a pick up point to rendezvous with other Militia personnel. In the seat sat a tired man.

A tired man alone with his thoughts. Body breaking at every turn…There's a reason only Simulacrum use stim now.

* * *

I Have started another story. And just like most of my stories, I have no idea where it goes from here. Just like an evil genius, I need a plot!

Comment, Like, Favourite. You choose what you do, I just like getting feedback.


	2. Chapter 2: A Grizzly Situation

Heartbreaker Chapter 2

The Author has rated the following literature:

E / G / PG / **M** / MA-15+ / R-18+ / X-18+ / RC

 **M** By the classifications laid out by the Australian Classification Board for Film, Television, and Video Games.

The Following contains:

Mild Moderate Impact Coarse Language

Sci-Fi Violence

War Themes

* * *

 **Transcript of Audio Journal Entry of Militia Pilot Jeremiah Hollowday. A.K.A 'Hunter-Killer'**

… _This is Jeremiah Hollowday, Pilot of Atlas Class Titan, HB-1988…Okay, I just, well…I executed an injured enemy Pilot. I didn't wait for her name. I don't want that guilt on me. Currently moving to rendezvous with forces…Got side-tracked by an IMC hunter squad, we're gonna have to move faster now. They definitely know we're on the planet…Me and Heartbreaker have been doing reconis, reconassin…We've been conducting recon on the area surrounding the target. There has definitely been previous battles here…Old Titans, too. That was how I got the drop on the IMC Pilots…They had a Legion, a Ronin, Two Ion's._

 _They were just patrolling, but they were approaching everyone else. The Legion was the only Titan with a Pilot in it. The other Three were riding on top, Auto-Titans following them. I could hear the radio chatter, talking about reports of the Militia being in system…It just occurred to me I should have grabbed one of their helmet radios…(audible sigh)…shit, well, too late now…They never saw it coming. It's good HB is an old Atlas class. I just had to find a crater, have HB lie down, and throw some dirt on top of Him. They approached…I grabbed the Legion's leg, activated the Damage Core and deployed Electric Smoke…Of all the ways I've killed enemy Pilots…(audible sigh)…Electric Smoke has to be the worst way I've killed them…The feeling of the Smoke entering your lungs, then the electricity starts cooking you alive from the inside…The fuckers deserve it after Helios…(pained sob)…(heavy sigh)…Gotta calm myself, can't fight when I'm not in the right mind._

 _One Pilot was caught in the smoke, they choked and died. The other two Pilots jumped off. The Amped Smoke weakened the Legion enough that Me and HB were able to rip off the leg as we returned to standing, then we bashed in the cockpit of one of the Ion's that was approaching from the left to where we were with the leg. The Legion fell, the Ronin Pilot embarked to the right. We whirled around as the Ronin bent over to pick up its Pilot. Snatched the broadsword off it, the Ronin stood and we immediately sent the Sword through the closing hatch and out the back of it. Pulled the Sword out and cut off the raising arm of the Legion, severing it. The second Ion Pilot started firing their splitter rifle. It impacted on the shielding bringing it down to half, we dashed towards them, batting them with the Broadsword._

 _We threw the Sword away then. The enemy spun with the blow to make a full revolution and melee us, right on the door of the cockpit. We punched them right back, Heartbreakers Big Punch kit sending them flying. The Titan and their Pilot raised, the Ion had started spitting fire from its exhaust points. It was Doomed. Me and HB dashed in close again because the Ion had made no movements. HB reached out and ripped the opening canopy open as our canopy opened. The bastard had started the nuclear eject sequence. He had only gotten halfway through the code when the hatch was ripped open, they looked surprised, as surprised as someone wearing a helmet could be, as I shot them through the head seven times with my P2011…I should really get a P2016, but I like the classics…HB gave the Ion another punch to destroy it. I started getting spasms again. Then I decided it would be a good time to make another journal entry. Then I shot the enemy Pilot. Returning to forces to carryout mission. We will succeed…(End Entry)_

'Where the hell?' It had been 30 minutes since Hunter-Killer had left to recon the area around the target. A still active Hammond robotics production site. Inside was a particular object of fascination to the IMC that the Militia felt acquiring was a high priority. A task for the SRS. Only calling in Titans if everything went bad. The surrounding forests to the facility had provided good cover while waiting, the small cliff they were on providing a good location to spy on the IMC. Behind the squad of four SRS Pilots was a clunking coming through the forest. Andrew Barnam turned in his hidden position, tensing up. A quick glance to the inbuilt Heads-Up-Display in his helmet showed a friendly ping coming from the direction. The thick forestry soon parted to show HB-1988, Hunter-Killer's Titan.

Barnam moved through the underbrush closer to the Titan. Followed by Eli, Todd, and Melissa. The 36 tonne behemoth crouched down and the front hatch opened. Hunter-Killer sat there, brief twitches in his arms.

"Hunter-Killer." The request to report findings went unsaid.

"I believe the IMC know we're here." Hunter-Killer replied.

"How?" Melissa quietly voiced.

"I engaged four enemy Titans. I apologise Captain Barnam. It was not until after I was already halfway back that I realised I should have acquired one of their helmet radios." Hunter-Killer explained.

"It's fine Hunter-Killer, this shouldn't take too long. The helmet radios would have been a helpful advantage but the IMC shouldn't see the assault coming." Barnam replied.

Barnam held a deep breath before expelling it and looked at the assembled Pilots. "Alright. We begin in three, do we need a quick run-through of the plan?"

"I believe that would be useful Pilot." Came a soft voice from Hunter-Killer's Titan.

"Okay, we all know what we have to do," Andrew pointed at Hunter-Killer, "You are running infiltration and demolition." Andrew then pointed at Eli and Melissa. "You two are overwatch and interception." Andrew then focused on Todd. "We are helping Hunter-Killer. We are also infiltrating and gathering as much intel as we can before the facility is demolished." Andrew turned his gaze again to all the Pilots. "We cannot fail, Hunter-Killer, you know what the object looks like?"

"I remember the dimensions and description received, yes."

"Good, before we start, do you need anything?"

"Yeah, any of you have a silenced pistol?" Eli handed Hunter-Killer a silenced P2016. "Thank you." Hunter-Killer checked the pistol, aiming down the sights.

Melissa voiced a question that was quite applicable. "How are we going to hide HB?"

Hunter-Killer clambered out of the Titan cockpit and onto the back of HB.

"I may have a solution," He started fiddling with a small container on the back of the Titan. "It may not work, though."

"What is it?" Melissa asked.

"I scavenged a cloak drone." He replied.

"You did?" Andrew asked.

"Yeah, it probably won't work." Hunter-Killer stated.

Andrew glanced at his watch. This was wasting time.

"Hunter-Killer." Andrew began.

"Yes?"

"This is taking too long, have HB hide in the forestry, we'll just have to hope that the IMC don't spot him."

"Affirmative Sir. You heard him HB."

Hunter-Killer hopped off the Titan and stood across from Andrew.

"I know you are fast Hunter-Killer, how will you remain unseen?" Andrew asked.

Hunter-Killer opened a pouch on his waist and delved his hand inside. Within a second he had pulled out two small cards and held them up. About the size of standard playing cards. Andrew could read the words written on them. _Echo Vision_ and _Ghost Squad_.

"Burn Cards."

"How do they work?" Eli asked.

"Don't know." Was the reply.

Hunter-Killer crushed the cards in his hands, balling them up before small incendiary charges within the cards flared. Burning them. Instantly He took the appearance of a cloaked Pilot.

"They just work."

Andrew nodded at Hunter-Killer's plan, well, Jeremiah. But his profile explicitly stated he prefers to be called by his nickname/codename. Personal reasons it said. Andrew could respect that.

"Well," Andrew looked to the gathered Pilot's again. "Everyone get to your positions, know your roles." All Pilots gave various ways of affirmation. "Remember radio silence, messages only." The Pilots gave another nod. "Meet here in 10 minutes max. Operation: Grizzly has started."

The Pilots took off.

Jeremiah breathed in, calming himself, before activating Stim. The artificial adrenaline pumped through his veins. Stymieing any chance of unwanted movements happening. He started forward, one foot then the other. He sprinted silently towards the drop. Willingly jumping off a cliff was not something people were just able to do, to a Pilot, it was of a second nature. Jumping off high stuff into long drops. Merely something you got used to. Jeremiah jumped, then at the apex his stealth jumpkit flared, no tell-tale jump jet trails to show the path of the Pilot. Jeremiah could see the facility, _Echo Vision_ allowing him to see every personnel at the site within range. He shifted his eyes as he fell, eyeing they facility to see where any build-ups of staff would be. He spotted a few. He would have to check every location, and rig the entire facility to detonate. One core location may be enough, the rest would detonate itself.

Jeremiah landed without a sound in the courtyard of the facility, he would have to be careful now. He sprinted over to one of the facility's entrances, R & D was printed above the doorway. Jeremiah checked for cameras, making sure he was out of site. He could see the closest persons to him were at the security/secretary desk some twenty metres away. Jeremiah stuck to the corner and side of the hall. It wasn't dark, just at enough of a distance that if one spotted something out of the corner of their eye they'd question it, instead of immediately recognising the outline of a cloaked Pilot. Jeremiah moved into a branching hallway, at the end he could see workers through the wall. Jeremiah continued on the path, coming to a door, he could see no-one in the immediate vicinity on the other side of the door, so he opened the door. It was a repair centre, and nestled within the midst of workers and engineers, sat Seven Titans, ARES Division regalia on full show. Those other four must have been ARES too. Shame Jeremiah was not paying full attention at the time.

Jeremiah watched for half a second before a plan formed in his head. Jeremiah laid his eyes upon four MRVN's. He shifted over to them and brought out his 'Icepick' data knife. He opened up the panel on one of the MRVNs and stuck the Icepick in, quickly gaining control of the MRVN for new directives before doing the same to the other three. Jeremiah completed the goal and sent off the MRVN's to help fix four of the Titans. He pulled out his personal datapad and typed a quick message to all Pilots.

' _Stay away from Repair facility. Rigged to blow in five minutes. ARES present. Continuing to objective.'_

He sent the message to all Pilot helmets and continued to the next viewed population centre.

Time elapsed since mission start: 45 seconds.

 _ **Line Break**_

Todd Hampson was making his way through the facility, relying on his cloak to remain out of sight. Todd dashed into a room when he was sure he was unseen. The room was not chosen randomly though. It was a very deliberate option. It was the security room. The controls for the facilities cameras were inside.

"Dude, Laser core is cooler."

The security personnel inside the room were wrapped inside a discussion. Paying no attention to the cameras. That's good.

"Smart core beats Laser core."

Todd snuck up behind the turned chair of one of the guards. All six guards were not paying attention.

A message appeared on his HUD from Hunter-Killer. He'd have to look at that once he was finished.

"Ronin Sword core." Another guard interjected with his opinion.

Todd drew his silenced P2016 and as his cloak ran out, he stood from his position behind the chair. All guards held attention on him, frozen.

"Can I just say I agree with that guy? Ronin is the best." Todd opened fire on the IMC, unflinching in his execution of them all, headshots the lot of them. Todd pulled out his Data Knife and approached the equipment. Objective to disable the cameras. He read the message from H-K.

' _Stay away from Repair facility. Rigged to blow in five minutes. ARES present. Continuing to objective.'_

Todd read the message twice over to make sure he got all the details. H-K managed to enter undetected, rig an entire subsection of the overall facility to detonate with a time delay, and confirm the presence of the ARES Division. In 45 seconds? Captain Barnam was correct, H-K was more than efficient. And just prior he returned from reconnaissance and had taken down four Titans and returned without a scratch spoke volumes of his skill.

Now was not the time to be distracted. Todd finished his work and pulled out his Datapad to message the team akin to H-K.

' _Cameras disabled, Intel gathered about security network present. Continuing objective.'_

He immediately got a message back from H-K.

' _Good.'_

Interesting. A nearby radio crackled to life.

"Hey, Devon, what's going on? The Cameras just cut out."

Todd could entertain himself for a moment, couldn't he?

"Uh, sorry. Someone spilled some coffee. Went all over the equipment, should be up again in about five minutes." Well, not exactly a lie. There was a lot of liquid on equipment.

"Really? What lead to that?" The radio questioned with a tiredness like it was usual.

"A…disagreement." Not a lie.

"About what?"

"What Titan Core Ability is the best?" Todd replied.

"Really? Which one is winning?"

Todd looked at the cooling bodies of his enemy. Strung about the room with holes in their faces. "I'd say Sword Core won."

There was a laughter on the other end. "Alright." Another laugh. "But I say Scorch Flame Core!" More laughter. "I'll let you get back to work."

"You too." Todd replied before the connection was cut.

"Sounds like a nice guy." Todd mused to himself in the room. "Shame he's going to die." Todd's Cloak had recharged, allowing him to use it again. He left the room in silence and continued to where he could find more Intel.

Time elapsed since mission start: 67 seconds.

 _ **Line Break**_

Jeremiah continued on his way out the hallway again towards the secretary/security desk. The two persons still discussing something.

"Sam…So, are you doing anything later…?" The woman was floundering.

The man sitting in the secretary chair looked up from his work. "No, why?"

"Well…" There was another person approaching, an ARES Pilot. Their helmet was off.

There was a message that appeared on Jeremiah's helmet. The cameras were disabled. He quickly sent a short message back. He focussed on the three again.

"Hey," the Pilot started. "Sammy, can you tell me when Cath's patrol is getting back? They left about forty minutes ago."

"Yeah, their route takes a bit, but…They should have returned by now." The secretary told the Pilot.

"Really? Where are they?"

"No, I mean, this minute. It's not fully accurate so they could be another minute."

Jeremiah chose his moment to strike. Moving into position behind them. He activated Stim and dashed up behind the Pilot.

The newer breed of Pilot have developed a way of close-quarters killing their enemy that is effective and relatively painful/less. The breaking of an enemy Pilot's neck was the most basic. Kicking the leg of the enemy Soldier/Spectre bending them back and grabbing the neck, moving it back and twisting. Snapping the neck of the enemy and killing them instantly.

Jeremiah, however, was a Pre-Demeter Pilot. So when he went up and snapped the neck of the Pilot. He just twisted. The Enemy Pilot's eyes looked at Jeremiah, no recognition of the situation anywhere in that gaze. Jeremiah did not wait as the body crumpled backwards, now capable of face planting the floor while on their back. He gripped the back of the security guards head and slammed it into the raised sect of the desk before bringing them back up and holding them with an arm around the neck. Easily able to either snap the neck, or put them into a rear-naked choke. Jeremiah levelled his borrowed silenced P2016 at the secretary. And quickly gave the man what he was looking for.

"Where is the Device." No question, not even a demand, just confirmation as to where.

The man was petrified in place. The invisible assaulter holding his friend by the neck. Jeremiah couldn't wait. He slammed the woman's head into the desk again before vaulting it. He kicked the man in the chest, rupturing internal organs and crushing his breastbone and rib cage. Jeremiah pulled out the Icepick again and plugged it into the computer. Gathering Terabytes of information in less than three seconds. Jeremiah had what he needed and took off towards the objective, not before placing a single satchel charge under the table.

Time elapsed since mission start: 63 seconds.

 _ **Line Break**_

Captain Andrew Barnam of the Militia SRS Pilots was making his way through the facility. Relying on the cloak tac. ability to hide his presence. And His stealth kit to hide his footfalls. He crossed the roofs of the buildings, making his way to the facility commander's office. He found what he was looking for. Messages from Jeremiah and Todd were on display in his HUD. Rigged to detonate with no witnesses. That was a good thing. Andrew made his way to the window of the office. Inside were two ARES Division Pilots and the centre commander. Andrew opened the window. Didn't budge, so he punched it, but quietly. The window started to give. Andrew kept pushing the sides. The window gave, the corner popped off the frame allowing access to Andrew. The window started falling, Andrew moved quickly. Moving in, falling to the ground. He rolled with the landing. Bringing to bear a silenced RE-45 Auto. He shot one of the Pilots through the head before changing his attention to the other Pilot. The Pilot couldn't even draw their weapon before Andrew shot them in the chest. He changed his target to the last man standing, the site commander. The window clattered down behind him.

"…Hello…" Andrew said.

The man sat in his chair, staring at the SRS Pilot. They appeared to be very nervous.

"I don't recommend moving." Andrew approached, keeping his pistol trained on the man.

The man sat slack-jawed, before composing himself. "The Militia are on planet then?" The man asked.

"What made you think that?"

"Call it a hunch."

"Don't stall for time."

"I…don't have any earthly idea as to what you mean."

"So you know completely then? I've never been there but I know this isn't Earth. Isn't the planet called Vanna?"

"Yes."

Andrew approached the man further. He looked at the name on the desk.

"Alright Mr. Marseille. Stand up. Turn around, hands behind your back."

The man did so, Andrew restricted his hands.

"Now what?" The man asked the Pilot. "Are you going to kidnap me and force me to tell you Militia dogs the secrets of the IMC? I will tell you nothing."

"I was just going to hack your computer and shoot you, that preferable to you?"

Andrew didn't let the man reply, pistol-whipping the man's head to knock him out.

Andrew turned his attention to the computer, sticking his Data Knife in. He started pulling all files from the computer. He pulled up some of the files. Linking the device that Andrew and his team were retrieving. Something about how it's connected to something being done on the planet Typhon.

"Well, better get this to Sarah."

The time to get all files was taking longer for all the information downloaded.

A message appeared on his HUD.

' _Device acquired. Facility detonation in ten seconds.'_

Time elapsed since mission start: 290 seconds.

 _ **Line Break**_

Sometimes it was annoying being an engineer. But it was his dream profession. The war though? Less of a dream. The IMC had been trying to eliminate the Militia threat for quite a while. Not really succeeding either. Though voice that opinion and Marshall might be brought up for treason charges. He didn't know though. Wasn't dumb enough to get himself in trouble. The MRVN's were a great invention though. Just program them to do something and they would do it. The MRVN sitting in one of the ARES Titans gave off a shrill whir, probably robotic gibberish. The MRVN was repairing some of the inner things. He wasn't the best with Titans. Preferring to work on actual tanks instead of walking tanks. But, eh, work is work, pay is pay.

"Marshall!" His supervisor called to him.

"Yeah!?"

"How is the Titan progressing?"

Marshall looked back to the MRVN that was now sitting in the Pilot seat, working on more servos.

"Got a Marv in the Seat repairing!" He told his supervisor.

"What?" his supervisor approached. "What do you mean a Marv?"

"Exactly that." Marshall pointed to the cockpit.

"There shouldn't be, the Marv's weren't programmed with that knowledge."

"What?"

"Hey! Hey!"

There was a scuffle down the repair line where another MRVN was repairing from the cockpit. The MRVN had closed the cockpit. Down the other way another MRVN had done the same. Marshall and his supervisor turned their attention to the MRVN in the Pilot's seat as it raised a hand in salute while also closing the hatch. A fourth MRVN did the same. Marshall heard a robotic voice, a pre-recorded message emanated from the four occupied Titans.

' _Heaven or Hell, wherever you end up. May you find peace.'_

Then the Titans did something that made Marshall's blood run cold. The MRVN's activated the Titan's Nuclear Eject sequence. Four robots slammed into the roof of the repair facility. It may have been comical if four Titans didn't burn like miniature suns before detonating.

Time elapsed since mission start: 300 seconds.

 _ **Line Break**_

Jeremiah stood in the blood of the dead. On the floor lay various bodies in differing reaction states. All dead, his silenced CAR SMG hung by his hip. In front of him sat the GrizzlyOP device. A small glove with little known capabilities. Jeremiah reached for it with both hands, cautiously taking it in his grasp. He brought out a hardcase and stored the device inside, foam padding to ensure no damage came to it. He breathed in once the device was secured. He sent another message. The MRVN's would initiate the nuclear sequence. The room around him had satchel charges lining the instruments, any information had been claimed through an Icepick to the data point. Jeremiah breathed in.

Captain Barnam broke radio silence, broadcasting to the Pilots. "Mission success, head to exfil point and wait for Widow. Fire at will."

Hunter-Killer smiled. He radioed his friend. "HB. Lay down hell."

He got a two word confirmation. "Affirmative Pilot."

 _ **Line Break**_

Eli and Melissa had been watching the facility. The two Simulacra had been watching the facility as well as the messages sent by each assaulting Pilot.

Eli's Longbow DMR Sniper rifle held attention on the facility. Melissa lay beside him with a Kraber doing much the same as Eli.

In the silence, a question posed by Melissa was a welcome accompaniment.

"Do you know why Jeremiah does not like to give his full name?"

Eli gave the question some thought before replying.

"Jeremiah?"

"Hunter-Killer."

"Ah. Where did you learn his name?"

"Captain Barnam entrusted me with the knowledge in request to not call H-K by the name."

"I do not know the answer. Maybe it is for cultural reasons."

"A possibility."

The two continued to lie in silence, observing it through scoped lenses.

"May he wish to not give his name nor fully learn ours for he is afraid of making attachments?" Eli propositioned.

"It may be."

"Another possible question posed is to why he decided to name his Titan Heartbreaker."

"A possible reminder of a lost love?"

"True. Though it would be in best respect to withhold the questions from H-K."

"Agreed."

A section of the facility detonated, the tell-tale signs of Nuclear Ejections shooting into the sky.

"H-K is quite effective."

Eli gave a silent nod in agreement.

Captain Barnam's voice came over the radio.

"Mission success, head to exfil point and wait for Widow. Fire at will."

Eli and Melissa chose their targets and opened fire. HB-1988 emerged from the forestry near them and started laying down fire with the XO-16 Chaingun. Soldiers, Spectres below starting to panic. Whatever ARES Pilots remained moved to find their enemy.

 _ **Line Break**_

Jeremiah moved like mercury, Stim allowing his speed to increase. Wall to wall, he jumped one to the next, increasing his speed. _Echo Vision_ allowing him to see any fighters in front of him. Movement, a Pilot entered his vision, Active Radar Pulse showing their movements. Jeremiah levelled his CAR, Counterweight helping him hold it steady even when jumping from wall to wall. The Pilot entered his vision, Jeremiah opened fire, the ARES Pilot fell dead. In a moment he was outside, Eli and Melissa laying cover fire with their sniper rifles and HB raining accelerated chaingun rounds down. Barnam and Todd exited from where they infiltrated. Jeremiah pulled out his satchel charge detonator.

"Detonating charges."

Jeremiah pulled the plunger on the remote. The explosives ignited, collapsing more of the facility.

Jeremiah shot foot soldiers through various parts of their bodies, killing them, continuing towards the exfil point. Barnam sent a message through the radio.

"Eli! Light the exfil beacon!"

On the cliff face above a waypoint marker appeared, no flare. A timer appeared to represent how long until the Widow would arrive. 20 seconds.

Another Pilot appeared, Todd and one of the Simulacra shot them.

One of them, Melissa, broadcasted over the radio. "Titan, Tone Class."

Jeremiah gazed behind himself to see the offending Titan. Smoke and fire billowed out the side exhaust ports.

"HB! On me!" Jeremiah called.

HB approached the edge of the cliff face. Attaching the Chaingun to his back before stepping over. The Titan fell to the courtyard below. Jeremiah activated Stim again to cross the distance and embark again. HB's SID OS thundered a threat towards the ragged defenders.

"All enemy personnel stand down or face termination."

A 40mm round impacted against HB's canopy hatch.

"Weapon systems nominal, decision has been noted."

Jeremiah and HB activated the dash to cross the distance to the enemy Titan. Another 40mm round impacted against HB. The XO-16 Chaingun Accelerator mod spun up and began firing. Tone Titan deploying a particle wall. HB's second dash flared, moving the Titan even closer. The enemy Tone was being battered by the chaingun rounds. The Cluster Missile fired at the Enemy Titan. The enemy Titan was almost doomed. The enemy was backing up into a wall, Jeremiah and HB dashed forward again, punching the Titan, slamming it into the wall, the Electric Smoke was deployed, chewing away even more at the Titans defences. The enemy Titan became doomed. HB punched into the enemy cockpit. Pulling out the Pilot before throwing them at the wall. Killing them. The Electric Smoke dissipated. HB chimed in to Jeremiah.

"Attention. Enemy Pilot detected on hull."

It would take too long for either the cluster missiles or Electric Smoke to recharge and reload so Jeremiah made a decision, banking on the other Pilot having no clue what to do. HB's upper access hatch popped open allowing Jeremiah to climb partially out. Drawing the P2016 Jeremiah turned to the enemy Pilot who was scratching around looking for a Titan Battery to steal. It was spur of the moment, but Jeremiah decided to inform the Pilot of their mistake.

"Hey." The Pilot looked up. "This one's old school."

Jeremiah executed the enemy Pilot. Multiple shots to the head, sending them falling lifeless from the Titan. Jeremiah lowered himself again. Hatch closing, taking control once again.

"The Widow is here!" Someone called through the radio.

Jeremiah and HB looked up towards the cliff, the large ship there with friendly Pilots boarding.

Captain Barnam's voice came through the radio. "Sit tight H-K, we're coming to pick you up."

Jeremiah and HB returned to picking off any foot soldiers still fighting. Some had given up, laying down their arms. Resigned to their fate. They would live, only a monster would kill someone who has surrendered.

The Widow lowered itself beside HB and Jeremiah. Both clambered on as a single entity. The wall door closed and the ship flew off.

 _ **Line Break**_

"Hunter-Killer." The voice of Captain Barnam entered into the confined space of HB's cockpit. The canopy opened to show a still invisible Hunter-Killer. "Could you hand over the device." A tired hand pushed the hardcase into Barnam's palm. Becoming visible once Jeremiah stopped all contact with it. "Thank you Hunter-Killer." Barnam looked into the dark cockpit of Heartbreaker. "How long do those last?"

"It varies." There was a shakiness to Jeremiahs voice. "They-They can last f-for periods rangi-ging from fift-teen to twenty minutes." Jeremiah got out.

"Okay. Jer-Hunter-Killer. I read your file fully before I chose you to join us on this mission." Even though Jeremiah was invisible Barnam still managed to look him directly in the eyes. "Get some rest. Make sure you sleep. After your performance today, you've earned it."

"Tha-nk you Sir." Heartbreakers main hatch closed then. And all Jeremiah could see was inky blackness as the Widow dropship rumbled into space.

* * *

There we go! Chapter two in the bag. Or, should I say, on the web? Either or really.

First, Jeremiah has Burn Cards. But since in Titanfall 1 you were expected to die a bit, each really good Burn Card only lasts as long as that Pilot's life or until the game ends. So I decided the until you die Burn Cards only last 15-20 minutes, or, one round of Attrition.

Second, I don't plan many people to actually use Burn Cards.

I recently played Titanfall 1 again, had to use an American server because there were no servers in the Australian region so most of the maps had details half rendered, the game felt slow compared to Titanfall 2 and I forgot you couldn't slide in Titanfall 1. Still fun though, Xbox 360, still at-least 31 people playing worldwide.

Thank you to the Guest reviewer. I have a habit of thinking of something, charging in bullheaded and cocksure then realising I don't know what to do. So thank you. I've decided that the story will just follow Hunter-Killer and Heartbreaker. establish who they are as characters. Follow them in the world then maybe delve into their past, what Jeremiah's life was like pre-Demeter, what actually happened on Demeter, and why HeartBreaker is actually called Heartbreaker. Thank you.

Oh yes, I decided to change line breaks from the page breaks that has to just bold italicised underlined sections saying Line Break because the line breaks were not showing up and it frankly pissed me off. It's the petty things but if there is a feature, one would hope it actually frickin' worked.


End file.
